How much does a unit of blood cost?
Whole blood donors are volunteers and are not paid, but collecting, testing, processing and delivering blood has real costs. Hospitals typically pay a processing fee per unit, often a few hundred dollars.
In the US, donated whole blood is not bought from donors. Whole blood donors are volunteers, and the FDA requires blood products to be labeled as coming from a volunteer or a paid donor. (Plasma donation centers are different: some pay donors for source plasma.)
So where do the costs come from?
Not the blood itself, but everything that happens to it:
- Recruiting donors and running blood drives
- Collection supplies and staff
- Required infectious disease and blood type testing
- Separating blood into components
- Storage, transport and delivery to hospitals
Blood centers recover these costs by charging hospitals a processing fee per unit. Published figures for a unit of red cells often fall in the range of a few hundred dollars, and prices vary by center and product.
What does the patient pay?
It depends on the hospital, your insurance and the bill. The charge a patient sees can be much higher than the processing fee, and it differs a lot between hospitals. If you are concerned about a bill, ask the hospital's billing office to explain the line items.
Why volunteer donation?
- It encourages donors to give for altruistic reasons and to be honest about their health
- It protects vulnerable people from being pressured to sell blood
- It supports a safer supply
This information is general and does not replace advice from a health professional. Your eligibility is always decided at the donor screening on the day of donation. Rules change, so confirm with the American Red Cross or the blood center where you plan to donate.